The Enclave is one of the largest factions to rule the Wasteland in the Fallout games' history. Below are some important facts that every new player should know about this faction before they dive full-time into the Wasteland.
The Fallout live-action series on Prime Video introduced four major factions instrumental to the events in the games’ timelines: Vault-Tec, the Brotherhood of Steel, the New California Republic, and the Enclave.
Of these factions, only the Enclave did not receive significant exposition. It is only mentioned by Siggi Wilzig during a conversation with Lucy and featured in just one flashback where Wilzig and CX404 escaped the Enclave facility under machine gun fire from the automated defense turrets.
However, the Enclave is, in fact, the largest faction the player encounters in the second and third Fallout games. They were ultimately defeated by the Republic in Camp Navarro on the West Coast sometime after 2246, and many of their military forces fled to the East. Some remnants featured in Fallout: New Vegas, which occurred in 2281.
Origins of the Enclave
The Enclave originated from the pre-war American deep state. Its membership consisted of high-ranking government officials, military officers, and executives of corporate entities linked to the US defense apparatus. It was considered a paramilitary organization even before the Great War.
They Had Access to Significant Numbers of Pre-War Technology
While the Brotherhood of Steel is seen as the active collector of Pre-War technology in the Fallout universe, the Enclave owned many of these technologies, including advanced Power Armors. One of these models reportedly featured internal air conditioning to keep the wearer comfortable even during combat situations.
They Murdered Government Officials to Take Over the United States
When the bombs started dropping, government officials linked to the Enclave found themselves mixed up in the Whitespring Congressional Bunker with compatriots who were not affiliated with the organization. They later murdered these officials by locking them in a chamber into which they released poison gas.
The Enclave Believed They Are the Successors of the United States Government
Due to their close ties with the pre-war United States government, the Enclave leadership believed themselves to be their continuation after the US was gutted during the Great War. Because of this, they structured themselves after the US leadership with an executive and a legislative branch of the government.
Enclave President Eckhart Unleashed Horrors in the Appalachia to Hijack Nuclear Missiles
After declaring himself President of the Appalachian Enclave in the aftermath of the Great War, Thomas Eckhart unleashed biological warfare in the region to convince the AI of Appalachia’s automated nuclear missiles to go to DEFCON 1 and launch a retaliatory strike against China. These resulted in the invasion of creatures like Super Mutants, Liberators, and Scorchbeasts.
The Enclave Had a Brief Civil War
Eckhart’s actions faced opposition from most of the Enclave, whose dissidents rallied around General Ellen Santiago. During the latter part of the war, Santiago’s forces attempted to destroy the AI Modus but failed. In retaliation, Modus attacked all human members of the Enclave, destroying the Appalachian branch.
They Had a Deadly Satellite Called Bradley-Hercules
The Enclave controlled the Bradley-Hercules satellite, an orbital nuclear warhead launcher capable of firing nine warheads at once. Its total payload was 72 missiles, which could be fired in eight salvos.
The Lone Wanderer and the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 3 eventually hijacked the satellite. They sent the last missiles on Bradley-Hercules to destroy the Eastern Enclave’s stronghold in Adams Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.
Both the Brotherhood and the NCR Consider the Faction War Criminals
The Enclave evolved from a purely ideological outfit to a government with a Darwinian outlook. Surface dwellers who found themselves in their outposts were subjected to genetic testing and were either murdered or subjected to experiments afterwards.
Because of their horrible acts for two hundred years, the Enclave’s remnants were branded as war criminals by the Brotherhood of Steel and the Republic after their defeat.
At its peak, the Enclave is a faction more formidable than the Brotherhood of Steel because of its advanced pre-war technology and superior military organization. However, their actions have also turned them into one of the most despicable groups in the Wasteland, making enemies of both the BoS and the NCR.
Amazon has confirmed the renewal of the Fallout live-action series for a second season, in which we might be able to look into the Enclave’s past and how they used the post-war nuclear Holocaust to advance their ambitions.